


neon gaze

by greeneggsandsam



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Klaus in Vietnam, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:00:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23402617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greeneggsandsam/pseuds/greeneggsandsam
Summary: First in a series of Klaus and Dave in Vietnam
Relationships: Dave Katz/Klaus Hargreeves, Dave/Klaus Hargreeves
Comments: 6
Kudos: 31





	neon gaze

“So, where are you from?” Dave asked, sitting down next to Klaus. He was sitting on the edge of camp, smoking a cigarette and staring into the distance, and Dave seized his chance. Klaus intrigued him. He was beautiful and jumpy and seemed so out of place here (then again, Dave would never have pictured himself out here either, if he had anything to say about it). Klaus glanced around at him as he sat down.

“The future.” Klaus replied matter-of-factly. He did not elaborate.

Dave looked at him. He knew Klaus had gotten high almost as soon as he showed up—he wasn’t the only soldier to do so, and it was easy enough to find stuff. But his voice was clear and he seemed perfectly reasonable. The future. Ok. Sure.

“Well, I kinda meant location-wise. But wow. The future. That’s groovy. How far?”

Klaus looked rather nonplussed at his reaction. Dave got the impression he was used to shocking people. “I was born in 1989. And, uh New York City. Location-wise.”

“I’m from Ohio,” Dave offered. “I was born in 1940.”

Klaus turned and looked at him, cigarette dangling from his fingers and a slow grin spreading on his face. 

“Ohio.” He drew the word out with a lilt to his voice. “Well, no offense Dave, but if I were you I’d be glad to get out of the Midwest—even to come here.”

Dave laughed. “Yeah, I was always pretty eager to leave. New York, though—that’s outta sight. I’ve always wanted to go there.”

Klaus was staring at something in the middle distance. He shook himself suddenly and took a long drag of his cigarette. Dave wanted nothing more than to keep talking to this boy, to listen to the way he emphasised words and watch his mouth blow smoke.

“So how’d you get here? From the future, I mean.”

“Oh,  _ Dave. _ ” Klaus exclaimed dramatically, shifting to look at him earnestly. “It was a total accident—I mean, if I was gonna time travel, it certainly wouldn’t be to a war zone. Look at these clothes they gave me! I look like I’m in a bad porno.”

Dave laughed, and before he could stop himself, said, “I’d watch that.”

Klaus raised his eyebrows and smiled. He held out the hand holding the cigarette, and Dave shook his head. “I, uh, I don’t smoke.” He almost apologized, but his answer seemed to please Klaus. 

“Good. Addictions are for losers, Dave.” He took another drag and continued speaking. “Well, there was this briefcase. I stole it from these assholes. And I opened it, because I thought there might be money or jewels or something. But, whaddaya know, it was a goddamn time machine! And next thing I know I’m in the middle of the fucking Vietnam War.” He shook his head. Dave considered this story. 

“Huh. I always thought of time machines as something you, y’know, got into.”

“Me too! Just my luck, couldn’t even get in a cool old-timey police box.” Klaus paused and tilted his head. “That show exists, right?  _ Doctor Who _ ? I feel like it’s super old.”

“Yeah, I love that show! People still watch it? In, uh, in the future?”

“Yeah, it’s still going. I think it went off the air for a while, but came back in like, ‘05.”

Klaus spoke casually and easily. ‘ _ ’05’. _ Like 2005. As in, over 30 years from now. Dave didn’t think of himself as the most reasonable person in the world (he wholeheartedly believed Elijah came to his house at Passover until age 13), but he was still surprised to find he believed Klaus. He was from the future. He seemed like he could be. 

“So, you must know then. What happens.” He paused, almost losing his train of thought when he caught Klaus’s eyes ( _ Gd,  _ his eyes). “Do we win?”

Klaus looked at him sadly and put a hand on Dave’s. “Oh,  _ Dave _ . Darling. It’s a war. No one  _ wins _ .”

Dave thought he might be in love.

____________________

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> first fic for this fandom, pls be nice to me


End file.
